Apparatus for selecting metal checks



May 9, 1933. H. E, WURZBACH El AL 7,

APPARATUS FOR SELECTING METAL CHECKS Filed Sept. 18, 1929 //0 Les Patented May 9, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HUGH E. WURZBACE AND LESLIE H. WADSWORTH, F 'MAGNA, UTAH, ASSIGNORS TO THE SELECTOR CORPORATION, OF SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH, A CORPORATION OF UTAH APPARATUS FOR SELECTING METAL CHECKS Application filed September 18, 1929. Serial No. 393,495.

This invention relates to an improvement in coin or check selecting mechanism for use in connection with vending machines, coin changing machines, et cetera, and the main object of this invention is to provide improved means for selecting coins or checks so as to cause acceptance only of coins having definite properties of electrical conductivity.

Our invention comprises an improved apparatus for coin selection in which the selection of the coin is effected by deviation of the coin from the path in which it is falling freely under the action of gravity, such deviation being due to the action of the magnetic field through which the coin is caused to pass while so falling freely, the action of the magnetic field on the coins or checks of electrically conducting material being such as to deflect the coin or check from the path it would take under the action of gravity alone and the deflection in the path'so produced being utilized in the selection of the com.

The accompanying drawing illustrates an embodiment of our invention and referring thereto:

Figure 1 is a vertical section of the selecting means.

Figure 2 is a section of line 22, Figure 1.

In the accompanying drawing we have shown only that part of a check selecting mechanism which is required for carrying out our present invention, it being understood that the same may, if desired, be used in connection with various other selecting devices for causing rejectionof checks or coins according to weight, thickness, et cetera, the purpose of the present invention being only to select the coin or check according to its correspondence to a definite standard of electrical conductivity, namely the electrical conductivity of the proper coin to be selected.

The apparatus comprises a casing having two side plates (1), spaced apart by spacing members (2 and 3) so as to provide between the said side plates a space slightly greater in thickness than the thickness of coins to be selected. At its upper portion said casing may be provided with a coin chute (4) through which the coins or checks to be selected are admitted to the selecting device, it being understood that this coin chute may lead directly from a coin opening through which the coin or check can be inserted, or may lead from any other suitable selecting means for subjecting the coin or check to a preliminary selecting operation of any kind. The coin chute (4) or the portion thereof di-' rectly adjacent to the selecting means hereinafter described is preferably vertical or such as to provide for approximately vertical movement of the coin or check in assing to the selecting means and the walls of said coin chute are spaced sufliciently far apart to enable the coin or check to fall freely into position for the operating of the selecting means.

A magnet (6) which may for example be a permanent magnet, is provided adjacent to the said casing and has pole pieces (7) extending on opposite sides of the casing and projecting through the side plates (1) as shown at 7', the inner ends of the pole extension (7) being spaced apart at such a distance as to permit the coins or checks to fall between the same but presenting a strong magnetic field through which the coin must pass. The pole piece members 7 are preferably located so that their centers are at one side of the path of the center of the coins or checks descending from the coin chute (4) so that the magnetic field therebetween is asymmetric with respect to the center line of said path. The spacing members (2) of the casing are sufficiently far apart to per mit free movement of the coin in a plane parallel to the side plates (1), and therefore parallel to the plane of the coin or check.

Below the magnetic selecting means abeve described, suitable means are provided for selecting the coin or check according to its path or trajectory after leaving said magnetic selecting means. For this purpose we may provide, for example, an anvil or impact member (9) having upper face (9) in position-to receive a coin of proper character, and rebound same in a definite path. A partition (10) may be provided between the anvil (9) and one end wall of the casing, the 100 coin selecting chamber being divided by members (9) and (10) into a delivery chute (11) for proper coins, and delivery chutes 12 and 13) for spuriousor improper coins or checks. I

The operation of the above described device is as follows:

A coin or check supplied to the coin chute falls therein under the action of gravity and on leaving the lower portion of said chute is out of contact with the side walls (2 and 3) of the casing or other lateral obstructions so as to permit the coin to move freely under the action of applied forces as hereinafter described, in=any direction parallel to the plane of the side plates (1) Assuming, for example, that the proper coin is of the dimensions shown in dotted lines at a, the

pole piece members (7) are preferably made considerably smaller than the diameter of the coin and located at one 'side of the path of the center of the coin as it descends from the coin chutes (4). As the coin or check passes through the magnetic field between the pole piece members (7) electrical currents (eddy currents) are generated in that portion of the coin which is between the pole pieces and with the result that a mechanical force is produced on that portion of the coin tending to retard the downwardmotion of such portion of the coin. Inasmuch as retardation is concentrated at a portion of the coin at one side of the center, the effect of gravity and of the momentum of the coin tends to swing the coin around such retarded portion as indicated by the arrows. If the coin is of proper conductivity, size and weight, it will follow a path such as shown by the full line arrows, the diversion of the path of the coin being such as to cause it to impinge on the anvil face (9) and be rebounded therefromas indicated to the acceptance compartment (11) If the coin is of unduly highconductivity, for example, copper, it ma follow a course such as shown by broken line arrows and be thereby diverted to a rejection compartment or chute (13) as shown at b. If

the coin or check is of insufiicient conductivity or in case of a check, being of insulating material it may fall vertically from the coin chute through the means described without being materially affected thereby and in that case will pass throu h the 'rejection compartment or chute 12 as indicated at c. It will be seen,'therefore, that the deflection of the check is caused by the asymmetric position of the magneticfield with respect to the path of fall of the center of the checks, and that the extent of such deflection, and consequently the's'eparation of the checks from one another, is dependent upon the electrical conductivity thereof.

It will be understood that suitable means will be provided for rejecting any slugs of iron or other strongly paramagnetic material before they reach the selecting means described, such rejecting means not being shown as they are well known in the art, this being necessary for the reason that such slugs would be liable to stop in the magnetic field and clog the mechanism.

We claim:

1. An apparatus for selecting coins or checks comprising casing means having spaced side .walls defining a space through which a coin or check is permitted to fall freely in its own vertical plane, said space being extended horizontally in said plane so as to permit free movement of the coin or check in said plane, a magnet having poles disposed adjacent said casing means and so positioned as to create a magnetic field across the path of a coin or check falling in said space and asymmetrical with respect to the center line of said path, so as to cause deviation in the path of movement of a coin or check of conducting material by the action of said magnetic field thereon, and'means disposed in said vertical plane below said magnetic poles for effecting selection of a coin or check according to the path of movement thereof after passage of the coin or check through said magnetic field.

2. An apparatus for selection of coins or checks comprising casing means having spaced side walls defining a space through which a coin or check is permitted to fall freely in its own vertical plane, said space being extended horizontal in said plane so as to permit free movement of the coinv or check 1n said ing a coin or c the same to fall in a certain path, a magnet having'poles disposed adjacent said casing means and so located that the magnetic field therebetween crosses said path of the check and is concentrated at a position lying atone side of the center of said atli so as to cause retardation of that side of the coin or check, and consequent deviation of the path thereof, in accordance with the electrical conductivity of such coin or check, and means for effecting selection of the coins or checks according to the difference in the path of movement thereof after passage through said magnetic eld.

3. An apparatus for selection of coins or checks comprising casing means having spaced side walls defining a space through which a coin or check is permitted 'to fall freely in its own vertical plane, said space being extended horizontally in said plane so as to permit free movement of the coin or check in said plane, .chute means for delivering a coin or check to said space so as to cause the same to fall in a certain path aline joining the centers thereof crosses said p th at one side of the center of said path,

plane, chute means for delivereck to said space so as to cause and means dis osed in said plane below said magnet poles or effecting selection of coins or checks according to the path of movement Ehfieof after passage through said magnetic 4. An apparatus for selection of coins or checks comprising casing means havin spaced side walls defining a space throng which a coin or check is permitted to fall freely in its own vertical plane, said space being extended horizontally in said plane so as to permit free movement of the coin or check in said plane, a magnet having poles adjacent said casing means and so disposed as to create a magnetic field across said space, chute means for delivering a coin or check to said space in such manner as to cause the same to fall freely through said space in a path whose center passes at one side of the center of said magnetic field between said poles, and means for effecting selection of the coins or checks according to the path of movement ghiiieof after passage through said magnetic In testimony whereof we have hereunto subscribed our names this 10th day of Sept.

HUGH E. WURZBACH. LESLIE H. WADSWORTH. 

